292 BuiiEAU OF Farmers' Institutes. 



Mr. Ward. — There are 100 of them within five miles of me — 

 all very much alike, and I have never heard a word of complaint 

 about ensilage injuring animals. 



How large would a silo have to bo to hold 75 or 100 tons of ensilage? 



Mr. Cook. — The weight of ensilage will depend on two condi- 

 tions — the depth of the silo and the fineness of the cut ensilage. A 

 silo sixteen feet in diameter and twenty-five feet deep, if filled to 

 the depth of twenty feet of settled ensilage, will contain about 

 eight}' tons. 



Mr. Ward. — How many of you here have siloes? 



Just four hands were raised. 



Mr. Ward. — Only four farmers in this audience who have siloes, 

 and this the best part of Livingston county! I guess I will stop 

 talking about the silo and talk about a cock or dog fight. 



A Farmer. — Don't do that; keep right along. We did not have 

 any siloes here four years ago. 



Mr. Cook. — That is a very good record; one silo a year. 



Mr. Ward. — We have more than 100 round silos within five 

 miles of Batavia, one-half of them having been built within the 

 last five years, and the number is constantly increasing. In fact, 

 I do not know of but one man who has abandoned his silo in all 

 that number. 



"Will sweet corn that has had the ears snapped off make good ensilage? 



Mr. Ward. — No. I would not use sweet corn for ensilage. Some 

 of our farmers who patronize a canning factory put the stalks 

 into their siloes, but, as a rule, they are too tough and are not 

 nearly so valuable as some of the dent sorts for ensilage. 



What is the cost of a silo such as was described this morning? 



Mr. Ward. — ^Not counting the work of setting up, which was 

 done by myself and hired help, our silo, holding 75 to 80 tons 

 cost I48.G0. It would cost mote now on account of the higher 

 price of lumber and hoop iron. Ours is of hemlock, and after 

 having been filled seven or eight years, is as sound as it was when 

 it was first built. But ours is inside the barn. There is danger, 

 however, that a round silo outside the barn will blow over. If I 

 were to build one outside I would put a cover around and over it. 



